Shattered Truths, Frozen Lies
by HawkheartedLion
Summary: A few years after Jack becomes a Guardian, Pitch is back as seemingly up to his old tricks. However Jack soon learns that this time Pitch means business. He has been kidnapping children in hopes of drawing the Guardians out. Lines are crossed in the fight with The Boogeyman and the Guardians are left to question if it is all really worth it in the end. Rating may go up.
1. Chapter 1

Night was falling on a small town in Midwestern America. It was a few days after Thanksgiving and Jack had been slowly sweeping across the nation. He had been to Russia and a few bits of Asia as well. After North America he was going to be on his way to Europe. Jack had to admit, even though it could be lonely doing his job, some of the things he was able to see more than made up for it. He smiled when he thought of the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower as he brought a light dusting of snow to the couples walking below bathing in the lights of the city, or the sight of the children of Tokyo as they were graced with a rare snow day courtesy of Jack Frost. Now he was perched atop the Sears tower in Chicago as he moved on to the bigger city. The suburbs were guaranteed a snow day, but he couldn't say the same for the city. It was harder with all the skyscrapers now days. He loved to see the progression of society but it also scared him.

How long until they became merely lost tales of fiction? He had lived three hundred years as an old wives tale with no one believing in him and he had seen what had happened first hand to the others when children lost hope in them. With the age of growing distractions and children losing their innocence much earlier than before it left an unsettling feeling gnawing at Jacks stomach. It had been years since he had become a Guardian and so far Pitch has made only ripples in their day to day lives.

It made Jack uneasy and the others as well.

For now though, he was content to do his job and bring winter to the world. He had declined North's offer to stay at the Pole during the winter mainly because he had to travel so much himself but also because if he stayed at the Pole in the days leading up to Christmas he would somehow be suckered into helping make some toy or another. He would retreat there in the summer sometimes but for now he was better off in the snow. He concentrated and with a wave of his staff brought a snowstorm to the city. He watched the first few flakes of snow fall before he released his hold on the building and started his fall to the pavement below. Jack took a moment to appreciate the lonely souls out at this hour before he yell his command to the wind, "take me home!"

Clutching his staff tightly he was whisked away back to Burgess as he waited for the sun to rise on the new day. He would celebrate the snow day in the same fashion he had years ago when the children of Burgess first started to believe in him.

They were in their early twenties now and some even had children of their own now that were told tales of the Guardians and of Jack Frost, the Guardian of Burgess in particular.

Jack landed on the lake in minutes and quickly set to work making flurries fall from the heavens. Light but perfect for snowball or snowmen. In other words, they were the perfect snow day material.

Children watched from their windows as the snow started to fall with wonder. Some could catch a glimpse of Jack himself as he jumped from roof to wire to tree branch and left a frozen trail in his wake. The kids would call to their parents who would smile indulgently and come see the snow while others would get lost in old memories. He came to a stop in a tree that overlooked Jamie's house.

The boy was now around nineteen and in college. Jack wasn't sure what for but it had been a while since they had actually talked. He would mostly just leave drawing in the window frost or little ice animals outside his window to let Jamie know that he was still out there. Jamie's sister Sophie was in high school and still a firm believer of the Easter Bunny. Hopefully he would see them tomorrow out in the snow.

For now he settled back into the tree and watched the snow fall as he chased sleep.

After what seemed like only a few seconds later, he was jolted out of sleep with a snowball to the side of his head. Jack flailed and with a startled yelp started to fall out of the tree. He quickly regained his senses and straightened himself in the air only to look around in a panic.

A laugh from below diverted his attention and he saw the cause of his rude awakening.

Jamie stood below with a crowd of kids ranging from twenty to as young as six.

A smile lit up Jack's face as he saw the assembled crowd. He twisted his staff so it stuck in the snow as he balanced on top. "That was a cheap shot, kids. You even have the benefit of knowing who I am." Jack took a moment to inspect his nails as if they were the most interesting thing in the world before he quickly jumped down and clasped his hands behind his back before continuing. "You should never start a snowball fight with Jack Frost." He smirked and that was the only warning they got before Jack reveled the snowballs hidden in his hands. The younger children squealed in mock terror before darting away but the older teens had no hope. Jack's smirk just deepened as he thought 'they are simply bigger targets.'

Thus was the start of another epic snowball fight. As time wore on though Jack noticed that the play seemed to lose some of its fun as the kids seemed to ware out quicker than normal. It was midday when they started to tucker out.

"Jack, hey- Jack!" Jamie called out as Jack went to extraordinary measures to make sure that the lake was safe for the kids to skate on.

"Oh, hey Jamie, what's up? Something wrong?" He glanced around as he tightened his hold on his staff.

Jamie had to stifle a sad laugh at the sprite's nervous nature before he could continue. "No, nothing's wrong, just wanted to know if it is okay if we go on a walk? You could show me your ice animals and snow work."

Jack's face lit up and he happily nodded before he set out to walk around to the far side of the lake. The winter spirit was so excited that he completely missed the devastated look that flashed through Jamie's eyes. The nineteen-year-old sighed heavily before following Jack around the lake.

True to his word, Jack made little ice animals of all kinds and regardless of his current state of mind, Jamie found them to be amazing. Miniature Ice sculptures come to life. Jack made a small bird that flew around them until Jack called it back and re-formed the ice into a scampering squirrel then a cat, a dog, a deer. They kept getting bigger and more elaborate. They made small talk as they walked but it didn't seem to matter to Jack. Jamie guiltily came to the conclusion that after three hundred years of no contact, any form of talking is a miracle.

Finally, they reached a clearing where Jamie suddenly stopped walking. Jack was so caught up in their meager conversation that he continued on for a few more steps before he realized that Jamie was no longer with him. He shot a glance backwards to see the other boy had stopped in his tracks and was staring intently at the ground.

"Jamie? You okay?" Jack was starting to get a bad feeling about this whole situation. Jamie was to quiet and the other kids had been acting off as well. He pulled his staff up off his shoulder and held it at the ready.

Jamie shied away from Jack's question as if the sprite had threatened him personally. "I had to Jack. Please, I had. I-, if there was any other way…"

"Jamie?" He was so focused on the teenager that he missed the darkening of the sky or the whisper of dead leaves as someone crossed the clearing. Too late Jake realized the danger as a tendril of nightmare sand whipped out and slashed across his back, sending him into the dirt and frost covered snow. Jack twisted onto his back as he clutched his staff even tighter. He attempted to sit up, turning to Jamie to tell him to run when a crushing weight came down unto his right lower arm. It forced his body back to the ground and made him relinquish his hold on his staff with that arm. Jack was about to twist and try to squirm his way free when a black scythe came level with his throat. Jack held his hands up in surrender but his heated gaze held a passionate hate as he finally saw Pitch, the boogeyman.

"Hello, Jack. Miss me?"

Jack let out a growl worthy of Bunnymund and attempted to swing his staff only to have the scythe forced closer to his neck. He could feel beads of blood beginning to trickle down his neckline.

"Always so rash. Here, why don't I help you with that?" Pitch grabbed Jack's staff and threw it behind him somewhere in the distance. He leaned more of his weight onto Jack's arm as he bent over and whispered to him, "now why don't you and I go back to my lair and we can have a nice little chat about this whole Guardian business, hm?"

Jack tried his best to glare defiantly and smirk as he replied, "sure, but only if you bring the snacks. That pesky no shoes, no service, rule can be a real downer."

Pitch chuckled darkly before he pressed down with all of his force unto Jack's arm. "Such a clever boy. We'll have to beat that out of you later, won't we?" He removed his foot only to place a firm kick to the boy's stomach.

Jack rolled through the leaves and came to a stop clutching his abdomen tightly. Now that he was free from the scythe he tried to stand up but his vision was not clearing quick enough. All he could see were bright spots of color and slow merging shadows. He shook his head to try and get a better view but when he opened his eyes again Pitch stood there with the end of his weapon raised. Jack felt a pain crash through the left side of his skull before he dropped to the ground again in agony. The pain was intense, blinding. It was all he could to stay conscious but he resolved that this fight wasn't over. He had taken worse hits when he was still an outcast. He had believers now, he could hold off a likely concussion for a few more minutes.

"It's so much easier when they are quiet, don't you agree?" Pitch now addressed Jamie who had hidden throughout the initial confrontation. The Boogeyman had to smile as the boy hesitantly came out from behind a thick patch of trees. Fear was truly more potent than any ridiculous faith these pathetic children could provide. They were so easily swayed form one side to the other as well. It was simply gratifying to be the one to cause such powerful responses.

"What about Sophie? You said you'd give her back. Her and all the others!"

Figures he would silence one insolent brat only to have another step up and fill the void. But such is the way of children, Pitch mused.

"Yes, well about that dear child. It's quite simple, I lied."

"W-what? You lied? No!" Pitch had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. Of course the possibility that the embodiment of fear had lied never crossed his mind. Children today are almost too easy to manipulate. At least in the dark ages kids were weary. They knew of the ramifications of dealing with the Boogeyman. All his deals could potentially be a double-edged sword if not worded correctly. But kids today were too impatient to care. Still he should enjoy what he can.

"Yes I lied. I am fear; did you really think that it would be that easy? That you could just walk away, you and your sister to have that happily ever after you're always after?" He laughed as he now circled the teenager. He could see clearly the doubt and fear being implanted in his mind. It was marvelous. "This way we both get what we want." Here the boy looked ready to object but as Pitch twirled his staff with a blank look, he thought better of it. "You get to continue to live and be free while I get those pesky Guardians out of the way." Pitch caught the clasping of his hands into fists though and knew that the message had come across clear. The flash of the eyes over to where Frost's body lay was no surprise either.

When he was frozen from the waist down though, that was a surprise. Pitch made a choked sound and twisted around to see Jack kneeling on the forest floor with staff in hand. His right arm was held at an awkward angle and there was blood dripping down his face but he seemed determined to be a constant annoyance. Pitch went to work getting out of the ice.

Jack meanwhile flew over to Jamie. He grabbed the nineteen year old with his left and gingerly held the staff in his right. He made it back to town before he had to stop and put Jamie down.

"Jack, I am so sorry. It's just, where have you been? We were out of options. The kids-they have all been disappearing! He took Sophie, Jack. It's been months. We were waiting for you and the others to show up and help. You never came. You didn't come, Jack." He seemed to have worked through all of the adrenaline and now he finally crashed. Jamie dissolved into tears over his situation.

Jack didn't know what to say. There had been no news of missing kids. North's globe had shown no signs of anything bad going on and now he had a hysterical teenager on his hands. He was awkward enough cheering up sad children let alone teens. Instead he channeled Tooth and hoped to MiM that it would work. "Look, Jamie, it's going to be okay." He flinched when the teen turned to look at him. "Um, we didn't know anything was going wrong. There were no signs Pitch was back or we would have been here in a heartbeat. We-we'll get her back, Jamie. We'll get them all back. But I need the help of the other Guardians. So we will be back to help okay? I need to go get them."

"You're sure you're not just going to leave us again?" It was spoken with an almost bitter disappointment.

"You know we will or you wouldn't still believe in us."


	2. Chapter 2

After the third time falling down, Jack actually had to force himself back up. The wind was getting to strong and it was making it hard for him to cross the snowy terrain to get to North's workshop. He had made it as far as the outer reaches of the Pole before he had been forced to land. Spring or not, the winds in the Pole were much too volatile for him to be flying with his head wound. The constant jostling of his arm wasn't doing much good for his condition either.

He had been forced to the ground and was now trying to make his was to the toyshop by foot. Despite being a winter spirit it wasn't as easy as he had thought. He was buffeted by the wind as he cradled his arm close to his body. His vision was slightly obscured by the frozen blood trailing down his face, but he still managed to push on. He was growing worried though. It looked so different when he was approaching by land. Surly he should be there by now? At least getting close?

Jack tripped over a patch of black ice and before he could straighten himself he had fallen once again. He had to bite back a small yelp of pain after landing on his injured arm but once again pushed himself back up. He tried to see through the blizzard for any sign he was heading in the right direction. Seeing nothing but white he groaned before picking a random direction and heading out that way. He took a moment to be thankful the cold didn't affect him as he started walking in this new direction, using his staff as support.

He soon saw lights off in the distance and knew that he had picked the right direction. Now the only problem was trying to get over to the toyshop. Jack took a moment to curse North for building it on the only mountain in the whole Pole. There was no way he was going to be able to walk to it so he would have to brave the wind to cross the chasm. With no other options he gripped his staff as best he could in his uninjured hand and tied to see through the snow and blood to land properly.

Landing shakily in front of the toyshop, he almost passed out then and there however he was not quite safe yet. There was still ground to cover until he was safely inside. Again using his staff as more of a walking stick he managed to get to the door. He didn't have any energy to knock, now that he had made it all the strength seemed to seep out of his body. So he did the next best thing. He let himself fall against the door and hope that the noise that made was loud enough to summon the yeti.

Soon enough the door opened and Jack could hear the garbled speak of the yeti as they tried to figure out what to do. All Jack knew was they were dragging him inside and damn if that wasn't the best feeling ever. Normally he liked the cold, preferred it even, but right now just knowing he was inside and safe with North on the way, nothing could compare to the relief he felt at that moment.

"Hey Phil, how's everything? Good? That's good." Jack was starting to get delirious mostly because the adrenaline had left his body now that he was safe and though the ice staunched the blood flow, the head wound was still dangerous. "No, it's really no problem. Looks worse than it looks. Wait that's not right, um…"

Phil responded by grumbling and rolling his eyes at the boy on the floor and a few of the yeti lingering about. The elves were starting to gather around as well. Finally the conference seemed to end and a yeti left to go notify North while the others moved Jack into his guest room. After settling him into the bed they just stood around the room not knowing how else they could help.

Jack was just starting to fall into a fitful sleep when North burst through the door. His eyes seemed to zero in on the bed and he moved closer to Jack as he shoved the yeti out of the way. "Jack? Are you okay? What happened?" North's constants questions stirred Jack from his sleep if only temporarily.

"Hm? Oh North. Yeah I'm fine. I told Phil to tell you that it isn't as bad as it is." Jack's response was garbled and stuttered. He could barely keep his eyes open. "Wait I did that wrong again." While Jack was preoccupied with figuring out where his sentence went wrong, North took a moment to take in the child's injuries.

While Jack was insisting that it was not very bad North had to wonder if Jack even knew how bad it truly looked. The yeti had not cleaned any of the blood off of him so it was still frozen down the side of his face. He was bruising pretty bad and from what North could see of his arms his right forearm seemed to be the worst off. He could only hope it wasn't broken. The rest of him was obscured by the blankets but North had a feeling it only got worse.

"It was Pitch."

North's head shot up to look back at Jack in surprise. Sure it had been a few years but they didn't think that Pitch would be back so soon. "What did he do? Why?"

However, Jack had already fallen unconscious so North was left with nothing to do besides attend to Jack's injuries. He instructs Phil to contact Bunnymund and have him come to the Pole as quickly as possible before trying to get ahold of Sandy and Tooth. He checked Jack's temperature before running to collect any medicines he had handy. Bringing them back to Jack's room, he was informed that Bunnymund was on his way. No sooner than the yeti left than Bunnymund opened one of his rabbit holes in the middle of the room.

"Oi, what's wrong? Your yeti wouldn't leave me be. I am busy, mate. I don't have time for any of these shenaniga- Jack?" Bunnymund hopped over and his hands hovered over the winter spirit as though not knowing what to do.

"I need your help. You are the best at treating wounds and I don't want to make it worse."

Bunny exhaled and pulled the blanket down to see the full extent of the damage. "Did he say what happened?"

"Only that Pitch was the one who did it. We will have to wait until he comes back around to get the full story."

Bunnymund was running his paws lightly along Jacks arm feeling for anything that might be out of place. He had already checked the head wound and decided that the ice had helped stop the bleeding enough for him to check the other wounds while the boy was out. He would clean it after everything else and wrap it. For now though it seemed like his arm was just severely bruised. Not enough for a sprain and definitely not a break. He felt along Jack's chest looking for any broken ribs or other bruising. When the boy gave a small groans and shifted away from the exploring paw, Bunny pulled up the frost-coated sweatshirt to reveal yet another bruise. It was already turning an ugly color, molted blues and purples with a sickly looking yellow around the edges. Bunnymund reached out again and when the only response was a flinch he figured the chances of internal bleeding were slim. As he continued to check and tend to Jack's injuries Bunnymund turned to North.

"Why'd you call me here for something like this mate? You could have handled these injuries. You've handled worse, much worse, before. Hell, you were the one to clean me up after my first rumble remember?"

"I don't know. I guess it was just seeing it, being right there, I just didn't know what to do or how to act. It was like I was frozen. I guess I just panicked."

"Mate, I've seen you out in the fight. You use close range weapons. Something like this should be no problem. Now how about you tell me what is really wrong."

North looked up from his clasped hands to the large rabbit in surprise. The other didn't make any indication that he knew he was being watched and was still tending to Jack's head now. "How did you know?"

"I told you, we've been friend much to long for me not to know when something is bothering you. Now out with it."

North just stared in disbelief.

Bunnymund rolled his eyes and turned around to face the man. "Your accent gets thicker when you're emotional. You tap your left foot when you lie. So are we going to talk about it or are we just going to keep dancing about the problem like a bunch of pansies?"

"I wanted to ask Jack to stay here."

"'Cause as interesting as that may be I don't thin- What?"

He could have bored a burning hole into the ground with how fierce his stare was. "I was going to ask Jack if he'd like to stay here." North glanced over at the boy lying in bed. Bunny was done treating his injuries and was now turned around focusing his whole attention on North.

Bunny had a thoughtful look mixed with a fair bit of panic. "You used pat tense there. Why are you not going to ask him? Don't you think he'd like it?"

"I can't even take care of him, Bunny. He came to my door bleeding and in need of help and what do I do? Freeze and call someone else to deal with it. If can't help him when he is passed out bleeding in my entryway then how am I supposed to be trusted to care for him in any other way? He said so himself- we are out of touch with children today."

"Look, North, this was an extreme case. Just because you were shocked doesn't mean you should give up on it just like that. Besides, what's a better way of getting to know kids, then to have one living with you?" Bunny could only hope that some of this was getting through to North. He wasn't Tooth. She was the best at this feeling-sharing, love-and-comfort kinda thing, not him. "Personally, I think it would be rather selfish of you to give in like that."

Confusion was in North's expression but there were so many other conflicting emotions that Bunnymund doubted North even knew they were plain on his face.

"Don't you think you should give Jack a choice in all this? After all it is his life."

"We, ugh-I, I will talk to Jack when he wakes up. Until then-"

"Where is he? Is anyone else hurt? Bunny!" Tooth flittered around the room in her usual manner except this seemed especially irritated. Her movements were jerky and if anything she was moving quicker than normal. A few of her miniature fairies had followed her, Baby Tooth among them. After her flying over to Bunnymund and taking his paws into her hands she started to check them over. Tooth pulled him up and was twisting him around in an effort to make sure he was okay.

"Whoa, hey, that's not my blood. I'm fine, we are all fine."

"Jack!" She flew closer to the boy after practically throwing Bunny away from her. He righted himself easily enough but it was still always a surprise when Tooth would show off her physical strength.

"You're going to be fine. We'll find who did this and make them pay." Then she could go from caring to downright scary in seconds. Bunny and North just shared a look.

"Tooth we already know who did it. Jack told me it was Pitch before he passed out." She rounded on North with an expression that was part way between anger and devastation. Nobody noticed that Sandy had arrived. He rolled his eyes and shook his head lightly. He knew what happened to Jack. He was dreaming about it now and dreams were his domain.

"Pitch got to him again?"

"That's what he said we'll just have to ask him when he gets up," North replied.

"Do we have time for that? Pitch could be out there right now," Bunnymund argued back.

"We really don't have much of a choice."

It was here that Sandy tapped the wall with Jack's staff. The other three Guardians turned to look for the source of the noise. When they noticed Sandman standing there they all apologized and greeted him properly. Images flew by at rapid speed above his head but no one seemed able to follow. He flashed the message slower this time. A sunrise, an eye, a snowflake, and a question mark. They followed his extended hand to see Jack was waking up.

Tooth fluttered anxiously above his bed while North and Bunny gathered closer and Sandy walked around to the other side of the bed.

When Jack finally opened his eyes He was not prepared to see all of the Guardians gathered around him staring intently. "Um, whatever it is I didn't do it."

Bunny relaxed and crossed his arms, "He's fine alright."

Tooth knocked Bunnymund upside the head then flew over to Jack again. "So how are you? Everything is working alright?"

Jack pushed himself into a sitting position before gasping and reaching for his stomach. "What happened? The last thing I remember was seeing the toyshop…"

North interjected here, "You made it to the door then passed out. You mentioned Pitch Black did this to you. How did he find you?"

The winter spirit flinched before taking a deep breath. "It was Jamie." He held up a hand to stop the incoming questions. "He led me into a trap. The kids in his neighborhood have been kidnapped. We didn't even know. Pitch took Sophie. Jamie thought it was the only way to get her back. I think he made a deal with Pitch, me for all the kidnapped children."

"Well then we will just have to go get them ourselves, then won't we?" Bunny smirked already knowing the answer. Tooth nodded with resolve. She was going to bring those kids home. Jack smiled in relief and gave a curt nod. They felt as if they should tell him to rest longer but he would just find another way to get involved. Sandy nodded happily and a thumbs up appeared above his head. North looked around at the other Guardians before nodding his consent.


	3. Chapter 3

They stood above the hole that led down to Pitch's lair. The old broken, wooden bed that was the covering was both a giveaway and a warning. An adept one at that.

North's sleigh was sitting a few yards away and the reindeer were getting restless themselves. Bunny was still a little green from the ride over but he was slowly getting better at riding. Tooth at flown herself. Now they were standing here with no plan and no real idea as to what they were facing down in the lair.

Jack had given them the best layout he could but he had to tell them that Pitch had a habit of changing the halls. It was the best they could do without any real idea as to what would be down there. The whole of the plan was to let Sandy take on Pitch and for the rest of them to keep any Nightmares away from the two.

"You sure this is it, mate?"

"Come on kangaroo, it's even a tunnel. I thought you liked tunnels."

"That ain't no tunnel, that's a hole. There is a difference. Groundhogs live in holes; snakes live in holes, bugs, but not rabbits."

North grumbled under his breath. Even as they were about to go into battle Jack and Bunnymund still couldn't agree. Though he could see Jack was not really invested in the argument like he usually was. Bunny as well seemed to be responding on auto-pilot. Tooth was giving a small pep talk to her fairies that looked less then please to be going back into the lair. Sandy was staring down the hole with a passionate hate in his eyes.

Swinging his swords and bringing them up to point at both Jack and Bunny, North said, "Now, we have a plan, we know we can win, we have done it before. So. I want this to go as smooth as possible. We already let the children down once, let's not do it again."

They all nodded even though Sandy and Tooth were not likely to cause any trouble. They sat in silence following North's speech.

"So who wants to go first?"

"Well you know what they say, Jack," Bunny looked ready to continue but Jack beat him to it.

"Age before beauty? If you wanted to go you could have just said something, Bunny."

"I meant ladies first Frostbite."

"Well that's not very nice. You can't expect Tooth to do all the work Bunny." Jack smirked and leaned heavily on his staff while Bunnymund narrowed his eyes and lowered his ears in anger.

"Now look here-"

Sandy turned to North and let a few images play above his head.

"I do not know why we let them within five feet of each other either, Sandy." Sandman shook his head and rolled his shoulders, a large ball of dream sand forming in his hand. He made to go walk up to the two arguing Guardians when a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Tooth winked and then zipped away. North looked just as confused as Sandy so they sat back to watch the show.

"Boys, I really do not think that this is something we need to be arguing about. The answer is simple."

The rabbit and teenager shared a look with North and Sandy but all the men in the group seemed to misunderstand her.

"You can both go first." She then lightly pushed each of them from behind and they fell into the hole in a tangle of limbs and broken wood. Bunnymund cursed the whole way down while Jack gave an initial startled yelp then tried desperately to right himself with Bunny still intertwined with him and the shattered pieces of the bed.

The Guardians left on the surface waited until they heard the sound of bodies hitting the ground. Sandy winced and moved closer to try and see them at the bottom. North turned to Tooth, "was that really necessary?"

"I figured if you were not going to do anything then we needed to have some kind of firm hand. Mine just happens to be feminine. Why? Did I go too far?" Now she looked worried.

North looked to Sandy for help but got a shrug instead. "Nope. You did just fine. Now let's join them before they hurt themselves."

Sandy leapt in next, being the closest. Tooth flew down next followed by her less than eager fairies. Finally North jumped down himself. When he made it down the others were ready to go. Jack and Bunny had stopped arguing and Jack was recounting his experience all those years ago. Easter was coming up again and Jack was still on edge. Has been every spring after what happened. He will even volunteer to help Bunnymund decorate his eggs, usually only to be thrown out later but North agrees with Jack that it is the thought that counts.

They could see now that it was a perfect place for a Nightmare King to make his home. It was enclosed completely in cold, dark, grey stone. It was huge and yet still managed to feel compressed. It had a vaulted ceiling but the room was so full that it was hardly noticed. There were carvings on the entrances and the pillars but the real artistry was in the staircases. They ran in every which direction and at every angle. Some twisted about themselves while one of them stretched the whole length of the room with large flat steps. Some ran upside down and some went straight up. Through it all normal walkways snaked through. From the ceiling black iron-wrought cages still hung.

The lost children were hanging in the cages. Some had as many as four or five kids in them. Tooth was already flittering between them trying to comfort the children. However none of them seemed to be able to see her. All they could see was cage bars and stone walls. Jack flew up to help her by freezing off the locks but the kids shied away from him when he started to frost over the metal.

"Can you see me?" Jack asked with baited breath. There was no response and Jack had to admit that they were just reacting to his frost.

"Pitiful aren't they?"

All of the Guardians jumped in surprise as Pitch walked out from around the corner. Bunny pulled out his boomerangs while North drew his swords and Sandy formed his whips from his cloud of dream sand. Tooth stayed near the kids still working on the locks. Jack jumped down and joined his fellow Guardians. "Ah, and there he is! My star. I originally just planned on taking you Jack, but since you were kind enough to bring friends I'll take them too. Not that I really thought anything else was going to happen after you ran away from our little play date. Oh well. I just hope you do not mind sharing the limelight."

Jack took a moment to be disgusted at what Pitch was planning for him and his friends before getting his head back into the game. He focused solely on Pitch. Staff at the ready, he wasn't going to fall for any cheap tricks this time. However, even with the four of them bearing down on him, Pitch made no move. They were almost confused but didn't let it bother them. If he was going to come easy then so be it.

Suddenly something slammed into Jack from behind. He gave a muffled shout as he caught himself with his bad arm. North shot a glance in his direction before he too was knocked down by a Nightmare. Sandy was already in motion, dream cloud floating high above and his whips cracking overhead. Bunny was letting his boomerangs fly but for each black horse destroyed there were three more to take its place.

Pitch stepped down an inverted staircase and for one second his shadow was cast on the opposite wall behind them and that is where he stepped out of. "Fear is a wonderful thing. It is a great teacher. If your greatest fears cannot make you submit then what will?" He disappeared and reemerged from the shadows cast by a Nightmare to the far left of the room, where North was slicing through nightmare sand as if it was nothing.

'It might as well be for all the good it is doing. These things just keep coming.' Jack froze another before twisting around Bunnymund and sending out a path of slick ice making the hooved Nightmares lose their footing. Bunny shot him an appreciative nod before darting off and hopping up a staircase only to throw himself off to fling egg bombs into the crown of horses.

"But you see, fear is also the greatest fuel and with such a ready supply at my demand… Well you can imagine I'm a great deal stronger then when we last met. It's just a shame I can't keep more children down here but I guess the fear of not knowing, wondering where their loved one are, if they will ever come back, well that is just as sweet."

"You're sick."

"While that may be, I am also winning. Take a look Jack, you and your precious Guardians are falling apart."

Jack warily turned his back on the Nightmare King to look around the room. Bunny was backed into a corner and unable to use his speed to his advantage. He was still throwing his boomerangs but he had to focus on catching those and fighting hand to hand. There were simply too many of them and Bunny was being overwhelmed. North wasn't fairing much better. His swords were easier to use in such a confined space but even he was having trouble keeping up with the evil horses. Tooth was having an easier time due to her flight but Sandy was the only how seemed to be able to actually hold his own in this fight.

"You're weak, Jack. You and your little friends will not win this time."

Jack looked back at Pitch then over the fighting. He growled in frustration and flew off to help Bunny and North. Pitch just cackled in the background. Swords slashed through the nightmare sand while Bunny threw egg bombs into the crowds while now using his boomerangs like North's swords.

Jack came up back to back with Bunny and as the rabbit turned to take out a nightmare Jack jabbed his staff into the ground to send out a sheet of ice to hold the horses in place. He then flipped up and over his staff using the wood to propel himself into the air. He swung out wide and a hard blast of ice cold air infused with shards of ice tore through some of the nightmares. He fell back down besides North and resumed fighting on the ground.

Tooth was slowly being forced to the ground and now even Sandy was having trouble fighting them off. The black sand was inching in closer to his dream cloud quicker than he could dissipate it. It soon became too much and they were all surrounded, backed into a corner.

"See Jack. Before you had the advantage and now I hold all the cards. Unfortunately, I will not be so kind."


	4. Chapter 4

"North, we can't win this." Jack was backed up with Bunnymund at his back while North stood guard over Tooth and her fairies. The Nightmares had driven her from the sky along with Sandy. They were all on the ground and the Nightmares were closing in. The children in the cages above were either crying or outright screaming. They could hear the sounds of fighting but they could no longer see the Guardians.

"We have to keep trying, Jack." Slashing through another horse before twisting around and stabbing another one in the neck. It had been trying to sneak up behind Tooth.

"Mate, it might be best if we cut our losses and came back with a plan," Bunny pleaded as he cut through Nightmares with his boomerangs.

"What makes you think I'll let you leave?" Pitch erupted from the shadows and swung his scythe at Sandy. Just as quickly he faded away into the gloom.

"He's right North, we might not get out of this. We promised to protect the children no matter what the cost. We need to get them out at least." Jack sent a black of ice at the head of one of the nightmares and watched as it exploded.

"Pitch. I propose a deal. Let the children go." North's voice boomed throughout the hideout followed by cackling laughter.

"Let them go? No what grounds, Christmas Cheer? Because I'm just such a nice, giving guy? I don't think so." He came out of the darkness and stood beside his Nightmares as they closed in on the Guardians.

"Let them go and you can have us. We will surrender if you release the children."

Pitch looked shocked for a moment as if wondering if it was all a trick. Then he smirked darkly and snapped his fingers. "Deal," He chuckled.

The Guardians watched as some of the nightmares left the group ensnaring them and flew up to the cages. The doors flew open and the horses fan through and as they exited the cages, they each bore a terrified child or two on their backs. The Nightmare ran at full speed down the hallways and staircases to charging straight up and out of the hole. They left the kids directly outside the hole before nickering and shaking their dark heads in the direction of town. Then they turned and slammed into the ground. The kids stared in shock before stumbling back towards town. Meanwhile the Nightmares reappeared in the underground chamber and joined their fellows in boxing the Guardians in.

"Now a deal is a deal. Drop them." Pitch stroked a Nightmare as he said this as if he didn't really even care on way or another.

North grumbled but dropped his swords; Bunny set his boomerangs down then unclipped the belt holding his egg bombs. Tooth stood up and sent her fairies away and Sandy let his whips disappear. Jack bent down and set his staff down, "You only honor a deal when it's in your favor, isn't that right Pitch?"

"Don't be such a sore loser Jack, it's unbecoming."

That was all they heard before each one felt a searing pain and darkening vision.

When they came to they were all in one of Pitch's hanging cages. They were arranged in a circle around the Globe Pitch had set up. They were able to watch as lights flickered and turned out. Pitch had left them alone. There was no fun in taunting a sleeping person, Jack guessed. Nightmares were posted to keep guard and their weapons were nowhere in sight. One of the horses whinnied when Jack stood up in his cage, but didn't move. Jack looked around and saw the Tooth was already fluttering around in her own cage. Sandy was still unmoving and North was passed out as well. Bunny was actively trying to escape, kicking his large feet repeatedly against the cage door. All he succeeded in doing was rocking his violently back and forth.

"Frostbite, you're up! Think you can freeze the bars and get out?" Bunnymund stopped trying to kick the door open when he saw Jack start to move.

"Jack, you're up, are you okay?"

"I'm fine Tooth and sorry Bunny but I can't do anything without my staff."

"That's just great. We come all the way out here, get caught, and now you say you can't do shit about it? God, you sure are useless."

Jack sat back in shock even as Tooth chastised Bunny. Useless was he? He knew logically that it was just the situation that was forcing Bunny to say such things but it still hurts all the same. He had been with the Guardians for a few years now. He knew they loved him, but remarks like that brought up the nagging doubt that always laid dormant in his mind.

"I don't even have to be here for the nightmares to begin isn't that right Jack?" Pitch's voice slithered into the room like a snake and was a smooth as oil. "Still waiting for dear old St. Nick I see, but we can start without him. He won't be missing much and his nightmares will make up for it anyway. Don't expect Sanderson to wake up anytime soon though."

All eyes fell on Sandy who was still asleep and floating slightly off the ground inside his cage. "What'd you do, Boogeyman?" Bunny was back to kicking the door in a futile attempt to get free again.

"He will simply sleep until I want him to wake. I cannot give him nightmares, just as he cannot give me dreams. But I can't let him ruin everything I've worked so hard for so he will stay here until I finish up with my master plan."

"What could you possibly be planning Pitch? The children know about you. Some of them will always believe in us no matter what you do." Tooth now hovered on the far end of her cage.

"That's why I need help. My Nightmare Prince will help."

The Guardians that were awake shared a worried glance. "Who is this Nightmare Prince?"

"He's not here yet but he will be soon. If you are all patient then I'm sure we could arrange a meeting. After all you pretty much know him already." His gaze turned to Jack, who was just now making his way to his feet. The boy didn't seem to get the implication and braced himself on the bars of his cage.

"No. No, Pitch you are not. Don't even think about it. I will beat you down to the darkest pit of hell-"

"Hush now, rabbit. Don't want to ruin the surprise now do we?" Black wisps of sand flew out and gagged the two Guardians. "So, how are you feeling Jack? Everything okay?"

"They're great. You should try it sometime. It's got a nice view of the despair but it could use a more homey touch. Have you thought about hiring a home decorator?"

"I'm going to make good on my promise to smash that sass right out of you, boy."

Jack smirked, "I'd like to see you try."

Pitch's eyes flashed a dangerous yellow and he stroked one of the Nightmares. "You wouldn't really, but we'll give it our best shot." He whispered in the Nightmare's ear and it reared up with a loud neigh before taking off into the air. Jack lost sight of it but felt a sense of foreboding when his cage door opened up. "Come Jack, I'll show you why I'm the King of Nightmares."

Jack looked down at the drop below. There would be no way he would survive that fall even with the kids now believing in him. It helped him heal faster sure and he may be immortal, but that didn't mean that it wouldn't hurt like hell.

He lost all choice in the matter as a Nightmare came up behind him and pushed him out only for him to be caught by Pitch's nightmare sand. It dropped him roughly, but not from such a height that it did any harm. Bunny and Tooth struggled in their cages trying to yell from around the black sand but failing.

"What I don't get a weapon? Not even going to make it a fair fight?"

"I shouldn't have to unless you really are that useless, Jack. Are your fellow Guardians right? Are you nothing more than a glorified weapon, ready to fight at their call?"

"I'm more than that! We are a family. They would never use me like that; that's not how you treat family."

"Do you treat family as nothing more than a common criminal." Pitch was circling Jack now and the Nightmares were getting riled up from their guard positions. They started to buck and neigh loudly in the enclosed space. That mixed with the conscious Guardians trying to escape and Pitch's words was enough to have Jack grasping his head in pain as a headache started. "They left you, alone in the world, with no instruction on your powers, with no memory. They could have easily reached out to you. The Tooth fairy had your memories all along and they never said a word."

"They didn't know that I had no memory. They thought I needed time and space to adjust."

"But you didn't need time and space as much as you needed friends, family, anyone to care, did you Jack?"

"No, I- I mean yes. I don't know. They are there for me now, that's all that matters." Jack was starting to doubt himself. He knew that the Guardians cared for him, but what if what Pitch said was true? It had happened before, being shunned and ignored; he wasn't looking forward to finding out it had happened again.

"Did it help? Can a few years of casual kindness fix the damage all those years you were left alone to fend for yourself? I wouldn't think so. I would be angry that I was abandoned by everyone. But you know what never left you Jack? Fear. I was always there. I watched you fall further into depression as those brats refused to see you. I saw your nightmares that you would spend your life invisible and forgotten even by the other immortals." Pitch had moved in closer and closer and was now standing behind Jack whispering in his ear. Tooth and Bunny had stopped struggling wanting to hear the argument below.

Jack was shaking now, "Kids believe in me now. Things will change," was the weak defense.

"A small group of kids in one town know about you Jack. It's an improvement yes but how long until the small following grows up and forgets like everyone else has? And despite it all you will never reach the other Guardians level. They can travel the world, you are stuck to the cold winter."

"That doesn't matter I can still bring fun to the children!"

"Fun? Jack a small, small percentage of what you do is fun. Your 'gift' is dangerous. Icy roads, those blizzards you're so proud of, avalanches, just dropped temperatures all cause death. You cause a lot of it every year. You are convenient for the Guardians otherwise they would be trying to put you down like a dog. Like they are to me.

"The guardians would never do that, I- I'm their friend…"

"I don't hear them stepping up to defend you or their actions, do you Jack? Kids learn from fear. Fear isn't evil Jack, it's necessary, just like winter. We can show the children that they need us to. You just need to join me. I still believe what I said all those years ago, nothing goes together better than darkness and cold."


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry this took me so long and sorry it is so short. This is more a filler chapter than anything else. Had to get through finals and work and I honestly think I failed Latin but oh well. Enough of that let's get on with the story. Thanks to all the people who reviewed! **

Jack refused.

"We'll see about that," Pitch snarled to himself. With that he leapt at Jack, who was still defenseless, and swung out with his nightmare sand scythe. Jack jumped back with a flip to avoid the scythe only to have to keep dodging backwards. Pitch was coming at him with no restraint and without his staff Jack was almost helpless. Jack was dancing around the room with pitch following close behind with a devious smile on his lips.

"Come now Jack, where's that playful attitude gone now?" Pitch asked while smirking. "You can't even defend yourself can you? Without that little twig of yours you're nothing more than a kid. Why would you ever think anyone could want you?"

Jack shook his head to try and clear it. He leapt out of the way of another swipe and chanced a look up at the Guardians. They were huddled up to the side of their individual cages and were watching the fight. They still said nothing in his defense. Jack turned away and focused back on the fight never noticing the nightmare sand that gagged his friends. His mind raced to try and come up with a comeback but before he could voice it Pitch continued onwards.

"You see Jack? You would be better off with someone who actually cared about you. Someone who knows what it is like to live alone and uncared for. Those pests don't care about you at all, I mean, really, look at how easily they can abandon you after you make one simple mistake. That over-grown rabbit still hates you for it you know. They are not flawless either but because you are disposable they can call you knowing you will come because you crave that connection to someone who accepts you." He stopped swinging his scythe around, "Jack, you don't need them when I am here and I would never just leave you because of a misunderstanding."

Jack stopped at the mention of that Easter when he first joined the Guardians. Why would Pitch bring that up? It was an honest mistake on both sides. Bunny didn't care about that anymore did he? He looked up to see Bunny and Tooth still struggling against the cage bars. Bunny was shaking his head and looking desperately at Jack almost as if he was trying to tell him something.

Pitch pushed his way back into Jack's field of vision by grabbing the winter spirit's face and turning it to face him. "Do you believe that they only use you yet Jack?"

"No, they would never do that. I- I still don't believe you." Jack tried to pull away only to feel Pitch's grip tighten. He started to squirm instead until Pitch leaned in and whispered in the boy's ear. Jack shivered at the feel of Pitch's warm breath on his neck.

"You will."

He threw Jack to the ground before having his nightmare sand wrap around the boy's wrists and ankles. Than he gripped Jack's hair and started to drag him from the room as Bunnymund renewed his efforts to escape and Tooth tried to call out to him.

Jack struggled but the nightmare sand only tightened the more he moved and Pitch let out a laugh when he felt the smaller spirit go lax. "Giving up already, Jack? Here I was thinking you had a bit more fight in you."

Jack only gave a whimper in response to the rough treatment he was receiving. He let himself be dragged out of the main room and into a smaller chamber that was completely dark. The only light came from Pitch's eyes glowing a bright gold.

"This will be your new home for the time being, Frost. Until you can accept that you belong in the dark with me I will force you to embrace that reality." Pitch lifted jack up and threw him into another cage suspended a few feet above the ground. He shut the door and turned the lock over loudly. "Have fun."

He faced the door and started to walk out. Jack started at his back but waited until Pitch was completely gone before letting his tears fall.

Pitch had called him useless. A weapon. None of that was true though. The Guardians were his friends right? They always were trying to make him feel included and that he had a family. It was all they felt they could do after years of neglect.

Jack started. No, not neglect. It was all just a big misunderstanding.

Like Easter?

Jack cursed his mind for supplying the treacherous thought. He had made a mistake and the Guardians had misinterpreted the situation. They had worked everything out and the proper apologies had been made. No one was angry about that anymore so why would Pitch bring it up? Why was he still bothering to think about it?

Jack was left to his misery alone in the dark to think about all of the points Pitch had brought up about his relationship with the Guardians.

Pitch, meanwhile, was walking back into the main room where the other Guardians hung in the cages. The nightmare sand had fallen away when Jack had been dragged out of the room and North was now awake. From the angry looks they had all been filled in and were just waiting for him to come back. He smiled darkly; this was going to be fun.

"Pitch!"

"What did you do to Jack?"

"You just wait till I get my hands on you-"

"Now now, calm down everyone. Frost has been removed for the betterment of everyone."

"Oi, so just because Jack doesn't want to listen to you, you can do whatever you want? Just face it Boogeyman. No one wants to be around you."

"Jack will soon believe that no one wants to be around him as well."

North screamed angrily and slammed his fists on the bars of his cage. "Let him go Pitch."

"Hmm, let me think," Pitch tapped a finger to his chin in a mocking gesture of thought. "No." He cackled as he turned to walk away. He has had his fun with the Guardians and now it was time to retire for the night. He could torture them more latter but for now he had plans to make and children to scare.

North turned to face the other Guardians. He motioned to Sandy and Tooth filled him in on Pitch's plan in full.

"We can't let him corrupt Jack. We have only just gotten him to come out of his shell."

"I'm sure if Jack will be fine, mate. 'e's tough. Pitch has tried before to break him down and he failed then too. We just need to wait it out if we can't bust out ourselves."

"But, Bunny, Jack has never faced anything like this before."

"I hate to say it Tooth, but he 'as. He was on his own for how many years? He can handle a few more days."

"But things are different now. He hasn't had to be on his own anymore. We are thousands of years older than Jack to begin with but Pitch is even older and remorseless. Remember what Jack told us a few years ago about Pitch trying to recruit him? What if something like that happens again?" Tooth looked very nervous as she hovered in place.

"Then Jack will say no. He will not betray us like that. Nothing could make him. Like Bunny say, he is strong and we need to believe that."


	6. Chapter 6

**Another small update. I'll write something substantial soon I swear! So, yeah, just gonna leave this here then…**

Days passed, weeks, minutes. Jack wasn't sure anymore. He had been left alone in the darkness with only his thoughts as company and his mind was not his best friend right now. Thoughts were swirling in his head. Were the Guardians really only using him? What was his true purpose anymore? The kids didn't need him when they had the others and if they would rather not have him around then maybe he should just leave- no.

He shook his head to try and clear those treacherous thoughts away. It was torture for him to be in an environment like this for so long and he still had no idea how long he had been here. There was inky blackness all around him and he hadn't seen any light since he was dragged out of the main chamber and the meager light that was able to filter in. The constant darkness was wearing him down to almost nothing. He also had heard nothing but the sound of his own voice or Pitch. He had no light, no sound, no contact with anyone but Pitch. The Boogeyman had made it a point to come and visit him many times. He had no idea if he was coming in once a day or once an hour but Jack had started to base his time on whenever Pitch decided to visit. It was never at the same time anyway so it was a very flawed way to measure time but it was all he could do to try and keep some semblance of order.

He was leaned up against the side of his cage once again counting the diamond crosshatchings of the iron bars when he heard it. Faint footsteps. He didn't react in anyway at all. It had been much too long for it to be the Guardians. For all Jack knew they had escaped and left him here when they couldn't find him. Besides he knew who it would be. It was always Pitch. Always coming in to remind him that the Guardians don't care, children don't care, no one ever cares. Except him. Only Pitch would ever care for him.

Jack sat up as he came to this revelation. Pitch was always there, always. Every day Pitch came to see him. Pitch came to take care of him and make sure he was okay. Pitch, The Boogeyman, was a better caretaker than the Guardians. He turned around to try and see Pitch. He was hidden in the shadows as usual just waiting and watching. Pitch always waited for Jack to make the first move. Before he would rage, yell and scream then he slowly descended into silence. Pitch would just leave after spending so much time in the room as if to say I'm always here for you. Maybe today would be the day they could talk. Jack was sick of being held prisoner and if no one cared but Pitch then he would care about no one as well. He and Pitch would rule this world with fear and freezing cold. If Pith would let him.

Jack knelt in the cage and searched franticly for glowing golden eyes. "Pitch? You're out there, right?"

Pitch meanwhile just smirked as he heard Jack not only speak first but he also heard the small spirit's voice crack towards the end of his question. It was too wonderful for words. The child was begging. Had he finally broken the boy after such a short period of time? It had only been a few days after all but he had made it a point to visit several times a day and to keep his visits at an inconsistent pace to further screw with the boy. This was going to truly be a sweet victory if he had fallen so low so quickly.

"What can I do for you, my boy?"

"I- I can't do this anymore. Please? Please Pitch let me out. I don't care about the Guardians anymore. I don't care about anything. Nothing matters anymore."

"Really now child? Nothing?" Pitch circled closer to the low cage and took a good look at Jack. He was crouched behind the metal and seemed thinner than usual. There were shadows and maybe a touch of insanity in his blue eyes and he was filthy. Pitch supposed it was only normal, after all the boy had been abandoned for a few centuries then accepted only to come to the conclusion that his so-called family never really cared for him.

"Except you Pitch. I will always care what you think."

The Nightmare King smiled as he heard this, "Let's put that to the test then shall we?" Pitch just loved the excited nod he received from the child. He opened the cage door and told his Nightmares to wait quietly on the sidelines to see what the boy would do. They would be there for back up if he tried anything but Pitch was positive that they had broken him.

Jack looked at the open door in shocked silence before turning to face Pitch as if asking for permission to leave. Jack's controlled isolation was working very well. It had conditioned the boy to only believe that Pitch wanted him and it was so wonderful.

Pitch smirked before nodding swiftly to Jack in approval. He watched as the spirit brightened and stood up jumping out of the cage. He walked over to Pitch before coming to a standstill in front of him. His shoulders were hunched over and his head was bowed with eyes averted. Jack said nothing and Pitch could almost swear he could see the child shaking. Pitch noticed the changed posture however and knew he had to do something quickly. He wanted Jack to obey him, yes, but he wanted the boy to be himself as well. Jack was too much fun as his snarky and sarcastic self for Pitch to want to change that aspect.

"Jack, lad, look at me," Pitch tipped Jack's head up and looked into clouded blue eyes. The shivering increased and Pitch notice that it wasn't fear that Jack was experiencing but pure terror. It was delicious but it needed to stop. If Jack was going to be his Nightmare Prince than Jack couldn't fear him. "What puts this fear in your heart, child? Surely it is not I, the one who has stayed with you throughout all of your hardships?"

"No, I just, I don't want you to leave me too. It must be something I'm doing wrong."

"Jack, it is nothing you did. It was those Guardians and their wonder, hope, and dreams. They have no room in their ranks for a child of the cold."

"But I was a Guardian to. Of fun. How could they leave me if I was guarding something just as important in children as them?" Here Jack looked up defiantly and Pitch could have sworn he saw a bit of that fighting spark back.

"But fun is a double-edged sword, Jack. Fun is in the eye of the beholder. I think it is fun to scare people. Some people think it is fun to be scared. Maybe you just need to change your idea of fun rather than something about yourself."

"Fun to be scared, huh? I think I can work with that."

"Glad to hear it Jackie boy. Now why don't we go deal with some other small issues?" Pitch clasped the boy on the shoulder and started to lead him out of the small chamber keeping in mind that Jack couldn't see very well in the dark. The Nightmares nickered and stepped out of the way as Pitch walked past. They followed along a hallway before coming out into a large room full of light. Jack had to shield his eyes as he stepped into the light for the first time in a long time.

"Well Jack? Anything to say to the ones who abandoned you?"

Once Jack's eyes re-adjusted to the light he saw that hanging in the cages of the main room were the Guardians. They had never left? So they never had a chance to look for him so that had to mean that they never left him right? Pitch had to be making that all up. But they also never tried to escape and help him either.

His feelings towards Pitch were never this conflicted.

He hated Pitch. Pitch had hurt him, abused him. And yet there was this instinct telling Jack that Pitch would always be there, if Jack wanted him or not. After 300 hundred years of loneliness someone that was a constant no matter what sounded like a good idea.

He would stay with Pitch for now.

"I have a few things to say, Pitch. A good deal of them are going to be vulgar."


	7. Chapter 7

**It's awful short for my long absence but in my defense I was brushing up on my Avatar the Last Airbender. Either way, please review and/or leave a prompt! I can post a list of what I can write on my page.**

Jack made a sound that was almost on the verge of feral. "You jerks never cared about me. Never. I was left alone, starving and abandoned, in a wasteland where no one could see me for centuries. Pitch was right. I'm only a convenient weapon to be used and tossed away. Did any of you even care?"

Tooth tried to speak up and North bowed his head but again it was Bunny's loud accented voice that broke through to Jack.

"Of course we care! You're a Guardian; it's practically a shoe-in that we care, mate."

"That you have to care, not that you want to."

"Oh Jack, of course we care. We never wanted you to feel so alone, hasn't you time as a Guardian shown you that?"

Jack slashed his hand through the air and growled out, "shut up. All of you! I don't need your pity; I never did!" Pitch just stood back next to his Nightmares and watched the show. At first he was thinking it might have been a plan to escape but now he was wondering if it might just be that Jack was genuinely cracking under the pressure of his abandonment and subsequent isolation. As he passively watched Jack lash out at his only friends he dismissed the idea that Jack was pulling some sort of elaborate ruse. The boy was simply not that cunning to pull it off.

"All of you care more about bribing children than you do about me. Where is my hope then? My wonder was stolen long ago North and where were you to defend me? And dreams?" The boy laughed here in despair. "None of you cared enough to protect me and my childhood. Why should I let others have what I never could?"

Pitch stepped forward now. "Jack are you ready to prove your loyalty? Then we can bring this world crashing down together."

Jack turned his fierce glare from the suspended and speechless Guardians, "what do I have to do?"

"Destroy one of your lying friends," he expected outrage or at least some form of hesitation. Here he could put any suspicions to rest. There was none however. Jack simply held out his hand and ignored the protest of his old friends.

"Staff?"

Pitch nodded and walked over to a Nightmare that had followed them from the child's prison. He plunged his hand into the beast and ripped out the shepherds crook letting the horse dissolve back into sand. He weighed the wood in his hands before turning it over to Jack.

As soon as his hand closed around the old worn wood Jack felt whole again.

His ice seeped into the grain and turned the staff cold with power. Jack hefted it into the air and brought it crashing down to send a wave of ice at the far wall.

He smiled down at his staff before looking back up at Pitch. "I want the rabbit."

Pitch was delighted and he felt a cruel smile form on his lips, "of course." He bowed to the boy and flourished his arm outward; giving Jack all the permission he needed to start the fight.

The small spirit took off from the ground and slammed into the cage holding Bunnymund.

"Look Jack, ya got yer staff back. Ya can drop the act now. We can take 'im on together!"

"I'm not acting kangaroo." He froze the lock solid before stabbing at the frozen ice with his staff and watching the lock fall to the ground. "Now get out here and fight me like a man."

"Fine then mate but yer forgetin' one thing." He surged upwards and wrapped his paws around the top of the cage before bringing up his back feet and smashing them into the now unlocked door, sending Jack flying off and the broken door to the floor. "I'm a bunny." Jack righted himself in the air and speed towards Bunny only to have the Pooka jump to the floor and start looking for a weapon.

"Bunny don't you dare hurt him!"

"Jack, it is us. We are your friends!"

"Save it North. I think we're gonna have to knock the sense back into 'im."

Those were the last words exchanged as a deadly dance started between the large Pooka and the winter spirit. Bunny was fast and without a weapon running was really his only option until he could think of a plan to safely take down Frost. Tooth would nag his ears off if he hurt the boy; even if said boy was currently trying to kill him. Jack on the other hand was trying to ice the rabbit in hope of slowing him down but was failing miserably.

Until he recalled his first official visit to the Pole. Bunny could see the mischievous grin and that spark of a trickster in his eye. He knew that look only too well. The boy had the same look when he used all of North's elves to help him re-paint the sleigh with the River of Coloring only to leave the meddlesome creatures in the Warren after abducting his eggs. He had arrived at the Pole in time to stop the Yeti from eating them but the fact remained that Jack was literally grounded for a month.

Jack forced his staff into the ground with a resounding crack and the already smooth stone iced over. Bunny had leapt into the air in time to avoid having his paws frozen to the ground where he stood but know he faced an even worse problem. He could hardly gain and traction on the ice and the little he could get he couldn't control. He was now reduced to slipping wildly across the ice or standing still. Neither was a good option, but in the end it didn't matter. Jack slammed into him from the side and with a swipe of his staff Bunny was skating across the ice on all fours trying to right himself.

Jack hovered above him and jerked his crook around one or Bunny's feet so he laid flat on his stomach. Jack took that opportunity to beat Bunny with both his staff and his fists. As that was happening Pitch was interested to see that the ice was slowly starting to encase the annoying Pooka.

The rabbit was left on the ground bruised and bloody before Jack leaned in. Pitch could barely make out what the boy said.

"Easter isn't coming this year, rabbit. Spring will never come." The Pooka eyes widened but it seemed Jack wasn't done. His voice lowered and Pitch couldn't hear what was said but Bunny started struggling as well. The winter spirit stood and smashed his staff into the rabbit's skull. He stilled and Jack turned to Pitch. "I'll be back in a minute."

"What are you doing?"

"Spring isn't coming. If Tooth's fairies can keep collecting teeth and the yeti can keep up toy production, I'm not trusting that the eggs won't try to bring Easter themselves. I'm going to the Warren and destroying every egg." Pitch nodded in fascination. "Then I'm going to freeze over the Warren."

Pitch smirked and snapped his fingers. A herd of Nightmares appeared and flanked Jack. "Then you are taking them with you. They will follow and report back to me. We will hunt you down if you decide to run."

"Just tell them to keep up." Jack shot off from the ground and the Mares gave chase.

Pitch looked over the damage done to his fortress. The ground was still frozen even after Jack's departure and the Easter Bunny was still passed out frozen to the floor. The Toothfairy was crying while North was muttering things that were probably meant to be reassurances. The boy had certainly made a mess but at the same time Pitch couldn't bring himself to be upset.

It was rather wondrous to watch the spirit at work. It was one thing to throw a snowball another thing completely to drop the temperature to deadly and then add a snowstorm on top of it. Jack was a creature of deadly beauty just like the winter he brings with him.

Pitch found that thought oddly encouraging.


End file.
